Device for testing liquids



March l2, 1957 l.. SCHWAB ErAL d 2,785,057

DEVICE FOR TESTING LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 8. 1953 I l. Y

IN V EN TOR.

@Mang/d ATTORNEYS.

March 12, 1957 1 SCHWAB Erm.

DEVICE FOR TESTING LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8.71953 IN V EN TORS. 5cm/w45,

ATTO RN EYS.

United States Patent rifeice DEVICE FOR TESTING LIQUIDS Louis Schwab, George L. OConnor, and Fred W. Riehle, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to The Union Central Life h ce Company, Cincinnati, Ghio, a corporation of io Application December 8, 1953, Serial No. 396,921

3 Claims. (Cl. 23-253) v Our invention has to do with the performing of rapid tests on liquid substances, the testing being of the type in which the liquid to be tested is brought into contact with a suitable reagent, and the positive or negative character of the test is evidenced by Ia color change.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a convenient testing device incorporating the reagent, so that the test itself may be performed rapidly and conveniently.

There are numerous tests to which our invention may be applied. As an example, it has long been known that if a water solution containing sugar, glucose or the like is brought into contact with a reagent containing a bismuth compound and an alkaline hydroxide, chemical reduction will take place resulting in the production of an oxide of bismuth and a consequent darkening of the reagent. This is a positive test for relatively very small quantities of sugar or the like in a liquid, and `as such it has been recognized as of potential value in indicating the presence of sugar in urine. Thus, While the test is not ordinarily quantitative, it can be employed to determine whether the possibility of diabetes exists to the extent of making quantitative analysis advisable.

In performing such a test several disadvantages are encountered. For one thing, when treating the reagent with the liquid in a suitable vessel conditions may be encountered under which the occurrence of the darkening or color change is dicult :to detect. For another, the reagent is subject to deterioration due to the effects of moisture, gases in the atmosphere, and the like so` that it has not been possible to regard the test as definitive unless special precautions are taken.

It isl an object of this invention to provide a testing device including the reagent, which is not subject to these disadvantages. Specifically, it is an object of our invention to provide a testing device, designed for onetime use, having means for bringing the liquid to be tested into association with the reagent in such fashion that fthe color change, if any, will be clearly and definitely apparent. Specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a testing device which incorporates the reagent,

but in which the reagent is adequately protected from external influences tending to produce deterioration.

It is also an object of our invention to provide a simple and foolproof device which can be employed by persons who lackl technical training. By way of example, we have found it possible in the practice of our invention, inthe exemplary embodiment to -which reference has been made above, to provide a testing device which may be` employed by any individual to indicate the presence or absence of sugar in his urine, and hence to indicate Whetherhe stands in need of a medical examination to determine the likelihood of diabetes. Thus, our devices maybe furnished by insurance companies to their policy' iugvdevicehaving-.the above mentioned functions and'V advantages which is designed also to include instructions for the use of the device and where desired advertising4 material such, for example, as the name of an insurance company.

These and other objects of the invention which will be set'forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, we accomplish by that construction and arrangement of parts of which We shall now describe certain exemplary embodiments. It will be understood that, while we shall describe our invention in connection with a device for 'testing urine for the presence of sugars, the broader aspects of our invention are not so limited. The skilled worker' in the art will understand that the nature of the reagent may be widely varied for the performance of many different types of tests on liquids while retaining the advantages of the constructions herein outlined.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

vice.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken along the section line Za-Za of Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same embodiment taken along the section line 3a-3a of- Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view related to Figure 3 but showing the parts in exploded relationship.

Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of our invention.

Figure 6 is a partial perspective View thereof.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken along the section line 7a-7a of Figure 6.

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively transverse sectional views showing modications of the structure of Figure v7.

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view taken along the section line 13a-13a of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a structure embodying a reservoir.

Figure l5 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken along the section line 15a-15a of Figure 14.

vFigure 16 is an exploded sectional view thereof.

Figure 17 is a partial perspective Viewv of another form of reservoir structure.

Figure 18 is a partial sectional view taken along the section line 18a-18a of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a partial sectional view of still another form of reservoir structure.

Figure 20 is -a partial perspective view of a modification of our invention adapted for the performance of. a plurality of tests.

Figure 2l is a partial sectional view thereof taken along the section line 20a-20a of Figure 20.

Briefly, in the practice of our invention, we provideaV testing device having a transparent or translucent wall y against which the reagent may be located. The reagent may be in the form of a deposit of powder; but it may also r be in the form of a self-sustaining solid mass,` as for exl ample, a compressed tablet or the like. The reagent mass is held against the transparent wall by means of a body of absorbent material which serves not only to maintain the" position of the reagent but also to conduct to it during the test |a suitable quantity of the liquid to be tested so as toV insure the uniform and thorough moistening ofthe reagentA therewith, without producing or delivering suchan excess; ..1

quantity of the liquid as would tend in any Way to obscure.

Patented Mar. 12, lll-)57-4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of our dethei'color,change.V The-absorbent material will in turn be Qur invention alsoy contemplates a protectiveI coveringl serving to shield the reagent from the effects of moisture andy atmospheric or otherfgases.

`Our devices may take severaly forms. Ini certain of these forms the transparentrwall forms theA bottom of-a wellwhichcontains alsothereagentrand the absorbent material. In otherforms Iof the invention the reagent may essentially belocated or embedded in a recessfin the absorbentmaterial, being` held yin place by the transparent Wall aforesaid. But ineach instance the liquid to be tested reaches-:the reagent mass througlrthe absorbent material inproperquantity forthete'st, and thecolor change is notedby observing the'y reagent mass through the transparent wall. In somef instancesit will be found of advantage to locate adjacent-the reagent mass a surrounding, material orjwall of a color substantially that of -the regent mass before the test is performed. This aids in the visual determination ofthe. color change in the reagent mass by contrast, as will be readily understood. Furthermore, in the preferredv fornisiof our invention, the device is preferably elongatedwith the reagent mass localized near oneend.V The remaining portionof thedevice thus servesV as-a convenient manipulating handle so -that it becomes easy to apply the liquid to be tested Without bringing it or the reagent into contact withthe lingers a-t any time. Further, the handle portion of the device may be utilized for printed instructions or other indicia as desired.

Coming now to certain specific embodiments of the invention, reference is made to Figures l to 4 inclusive. Here,.vveV have shown an elongated strip$likeelement 1 which may be made of plastic or other suitable material. Near one end, the body lis molded, drawn or otherwise formed with a well 4. In the practice of our inventionit is essential that the bottom wall of this wellbe transparent or at least so translucent that any` color-change Vin the reagent mass which will be located in the ywell will be clearly apparent to the observer. n

A reagent mass is indicated in Figures 2 to 4-by the index numeral 5, and it may be either a mass of powdered reagent deposited in the well or -a preformedv tablet or the like placed therein against the well bottom.

The material of the reagentwill, of course'7 varyv with the nature of the test tobe performedv andgexcepting; as otherwise set forth in the appended claims; does not'con stitute a limitation on the invention. By wayof example, if a test were to bemade oftheralkalinity or basicity ofa solution, therso-calied reagent might well be an inert powder stainedV with a suitable indicator such as. phenolphthalein, methyl orange or the like. In testing a solution for starch, an inert powder or a piece of felte'dmaterial stained with iodine may be employed. These possibilities are: mentioned to indicate that by the term. reagentwe contemplate any material, with or without a support, which isadapted to undergo a color change :intheusefu'l testing of a liquid.

In the exemplary embodiment Vof the invention'where they purpose isv to test'for sugar in the urine, the reagent will normally be a bismuth compoundsuch asvbisrnuth subnitrateybismuth'oxychloride, .or bismuth subcarbonate mixed with an alkaline hydroxide 'such as sodium hydroxide; these materials being;anhydrous. that-such a mixture decomposesslowly inthe presence of air and moisture. It has been suggested that theladditionil of other materials such'asjsilicates, magnesium corn'- stability of the'material. A even. where the material`v is stored in ordinary' closed Containers. In ourinvention special precautions'may'be takenas hereinafter outlinedto preserve the 'reagentYfr-omf deleteriousinuences:

It is Wellv 'known r4 Above the reagent mass 5 in Figures 2 to 4 we locate a mass of absorbent material 6. This may be a soft mass of absorbent cotton or the like, but where the base 1 is formed with a circular well as shown, it will be found convenient to employ a disk stamped or otherwise formed from chemically clean blotting paper, cellulose wadding or the like. The absorbent material is held in place by a Y disk 8 of intert material (which may'well befthe same as the material of the body 1). This disk will be perforated as at 9 to permit access totheabsorb'ent material ofthe 'f with Va stripv or sheet 10 v of impermeable, exible material i such for example `as moisture-proof cellophane', cellulose' acetate, metal foil or thel like, preferably held in'place .by

an impermeable pressure-sensitiveV adhesive'.V When' the test is to be performed, this kstrip or'sheet is first removed,

after which it is necessary onlyv to bring the liquid to be tested into contactl with-the disk 8, so th'at'the liquid may pass through the perforations 9 andsaturate the absorbent material 6; The handle portion of the body 1 may bear' indicia 11 constituting directions for performing the test or other information. Y

VModified forms'ofr our structure are' shown in Figures Y 5 to'9 inclusive. Here'a flat vstrip of stijf material forms the body 12.V It may be provided-witha perforation 13 of substantial size and any convenientI shape. To one side of the body 12 there is attached an imperforate sheet 14 ofplastic or the liketoV constitute aY transparent wall covering'one end of the perforation. The reagent 15is located against this wall and'is'surmounted'by a disk or body ofabsorbent material 16; A sheet 17V of'suitable material is aixed to theoppositei side of thebody 12 to Y hold the parts in assembly; andwthis sheet Yis perforatedlas at 18 to permit accessto the absorbent materialv by a liquid to be'tested. A removable,- 'impervious cover sheet 19 may be'placed'over the sheet'17, beingfadhesively'heldin place in such fashion'that it caribeV strippedaway when a' Y test is to be made.

. If the body 12 andthe sheets14,1 17"and'19"are` of impervious material it is'evident that in this construction the reagent 15 will be adequatelyiprotected from' external; influences. The transparentwall 14 andthe member'17 L may 'be integral'partsV of a singlel strip' ofr materialbeiit` over the edges of the body asvmos't "clearly" illustrated in 16. In this event, however, the'bodywilllnot'serveito protect the reagent from moisture and deleterious gases,

Oneway Vin which such protection may be afforded lisby'enczlo'singthe 'entire device'in la sealed envelope: ofiimpe'rvi'ous" material-'suchas polyethylene or'other'plastic', Vorffoil yorthe'zlike.V74 Such and additional protection is desirable.

an envelopeisxindicated'in Figure 7 in dottedlines'at 20.

Wherethe body. 12 is -of absorbent or permableniatef rial the construction 'maybesimpliedf Thu'sfinFigure 8 we have shown the bodyrecessed as at 21 lto'receivethe reagent 15, the-transparent vvvall,14` serving :toholdfthef- Thej recessing'fmay be 'done' fby .'cuttngd' orl stamping-in the' sense Vof compressingla.portioniof:

reagent in place.

the body 12. in Figure 9, the body 1,2 'hasbeenpereV foratedlas'at 13. The reagent115'beingfplacedfin the-ipe!"- foration Aand retained-in position -byl the 'transpaift'fwall 14 on one side and a disk 16 inserted in the other end of the perforation and having sufficient stiifness to act as a retainer. Ihe disk 16 may be of absorbent material, but it may be of other material if the body 12 is absorbent. The modifications of Figures 8 and 9 are preferably enclosed in a protective envelope or covering such as 'has been referred to above. The body 12 may bear indicia as indicated at 22 in Figure 6.

Another form of our' device is illustrated in Figures and 11. Here we employ a body 23 of absorbent material which need not be stiff. It may indeed be of the nature of a surgical packing. A tablet 24 of the reagent is located wi-th respect to the absorbent material, preferably near one end of it, and preferably by means of a recess formed in the absorbent material by compressing it as most clearly shown in Figure 1l.

These elements are next enclosed in a relatively tightly fitted envelope 25. This envelope may be formed in various ways. It is shown as formed from two sheets adhered together about their edges. The upper sheet 26 at least is transparent so that any color change in the reagent may be viewed through it. The lower sheet 27 :need not be transparent but in any event will be perforated as at 28 to permit the liquid to be tested to reach the absorbent material 23. If the sheets 26 and 27 are of impervious material, the reagent may be protected merely by aixing a removable, impervious cover sheet over ythe perforated portion of the sheet 27. If the sheets 26 and 27, or either of them, are not impervious then the entire device is preferably enclosed in a sealed impervious envelope as above described.

Structures such as illustrated in Figures 10 and 1l lend themselves to continuous processes of manufacture. Where an impervious outer envelope is to be employed it is possible to use the absorbent material 23 as Well as the sheets 26 and 27 in the form of continuous strips and, after assembly simply cut the product into individual lengths. In this event the absorbent material 23 will not be entirely enclosed in the envelope 25 but will be exposedv at the ends thereof.V Protection will be aorded, lhowever, by the outer envelope.

Enclosed structures such as shown in Figure 10 may be made as diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 12 and 13. Here the absorbent material 23 is fed forwardly from a supply by pinch rolls indicated at 29. These pinch rolls may be so configured as :to form recesses at suitable intervals in the absorbent material for the reception of the reagent tablets. A timed fly knife arrangement 30 may be employed to cut the absorbent material into suitable lengths, these lengths being deposited at spaced intervals on a traveling supply of the under sheet substance 27. This supply may be pre-perforated at suitable intervals to provide the access openings 28 (Figure 1l), or perforating means may be included in the apparatus assembly being described.

A suitable mechanism 31 is employed to deposit the reagent tablets 24 in the proper positions on the pieces of absorbent material. A strip of the upper sheet substance is led onto the top of the assembly which is fed forward by pinch rolls 32. The strips of sheet substance 26 and 27 are preferably covered with a pressure sensitive impervious adhesive; but is is also possible yto employ heat scalable materials and effect the transverse and longitudinal seals by members adapted to exert both heat and pressure.

A mechanism 33 such as a pair of rolls either resiliently or eccentrically mounted produces the transverse seals as shown between the spaced pieces of absorbent material 23. Flanged pressure or heat sealing rolls 34 and 35 most clearly shown in Figure 13 effect the longitudinal seals. The material is cut apart into individual units in the areas of the transverse seals by suitable mechanism such as a y knife arrangement 36.

If the units are to be enclosed in sealed envelopes this may also be accomplished by continuous mechanism similar to that shown, utilizing for example upper and lower strips of polyethylene brought together about the individf ual units and heat sealed transversely and longitudinally. In order to afford more perfect protection to the reagent any envelope or package in which our devices are er1- closed may be filled with an inert gas, or the entire pack-A aging operation can be carried on in an atmosphereof inert gas.

It has been our purpose -to devise structures which do not require complicated operations on the part of the user. By Way of example, it is for this reason that we prefer to employ a pre-perforated retainer for the absorbent material in the structures thus far described. It is possible to simplify the construction in some instances by omitting these perforations. Thus, in the structures of Figures 10 and 11 the perforations 2S may be omitted in which even-t, assuming the envelope 25 to be tight, an outer sealed envelope can be obviated. However, this means that the user will have tto provide the perforations 28 which he can easily do with a pin or needle.

In the use of our structures it is necessary to insure that a suilcient quantity of the liquid to be tested will be brought into contact with the absorbent material for a suicient length of time. In normal use the ends of our structures will be dipped into the liquid to be ltested in some suitable vessel; but the proper performance of the test will normally require a timing operation. It is possible Ito do away with this by providing in connection with our testing device a reservoir element which, without timing, will serve to retain a suicient quantity of the test liquid in contact with the absorbent material.

One such structure is illustrated in Figures 14, 15 and 16. Here we have shown a body 1 like that of Figure 1, having the Well 4 containing the reagent 5, absorbent material 6 and perforated retainer 7. A reservoir forming member 36 having a deflected portion 37 is conveniently formed as a separate piece of plastic. This member has coplanar marginal portions on three sides, and these marginal portions are cemented or fused to the body 1 so that the element 36 forms an open endedv reservoir as shown, overlying the well.

In the use of this device it is necessary only to dip it into the test uid. The reservoir immediately fills, whereupon the test device may be withdrawn and the color change observed as it occurs. It is possible under some circumstances to seal this construction by the use of a cemented sheet shown at 38 in Figure 15 in dotted lines. It will usually be found preferable, however, to enclose the structure in a sealed envelope.

Another type of reservoir structure is shown in Figures 17 and 18. Here the body 39 is shown as having joined to it at one end a substantially U-shaped member 40 surmounted by a transparent wall member 41.V This structure may be made integral in a molding operation, but is more cheaply produced by forming the parts 39, 40 and 41 separately and joining them together in the assembly shown by fusion or the use of a suitable adhesive. In this construction the reagent 42 is located inside the U-shaped member and is held in place by a superposed body 43 of absorbent material. The dimensions of these elements are so chosen that the interior portion of the U-shaped member 40 is not lled thereby. Thus, the upper portions of the legs of the U-shaped member together with portions of elements 39 and 41 define a reservoir indicated at 44 serving the purpose described above. Here again a seal may be effected by a cover element 45 or the entire structure may be enclosed in a sealed, impervious envelope. The color change in the reagent 42 may be observed either through the element 39 or the element 41 depending upon whether one or both of these elements is made transparent in the sense in which that term is used herein.

Yet another type of reservoir device is illustrated in Figure 19. Here the main body 46 is stamped, molded or otherwise configured to provide a Well 47. This Well test liquid which will be caused to lill thereservoinSOy This structureV may be more readily sealed by a cover sheet S3, Y

in sutcient quantity forV the purposes' ofV the'test.

but an external sealed envelope may likewise be employed.

In some instances it will be found desirable to perf form a plurality of tests either sequentially or simultaneously. Our structures lend themselves to suchpoperations. In Figures 20 and 21 We have shown a structure analogous to that illustrated in Figure V8. VIt comprises an absorbent base or body 54 havingggon one side of it a transparent Wall 55 and on the other kside aA retaining wall 56. Three reagent masses 57,*58 and'59 have been shown positioned at spaced intervals against the transparent wall member. The retainingnwall member 56-is perforated as at 60, 61 Vandi 62 at suitable positions in relation to the reagent masses. A 4 Y Y t Y A structure such as that shown in Figures 20 and -2l is useful for various purposes. Forl example, a quantvif tative test for sugar in theV urine'may `be'arran'gedvby varying the reagent in the masses'57, 58v and 59 in such fashion thatV a quantitative indication Will'beY given'V by the relative darkening or failure* to darken of diler'entu masses' of the reagent. The colo'o'f lthe body 54` will readily serve as an index foi-"comparison, reagent masses 57, 58 and 59 may be of different" sub stances designed for the performance of diieren tes'tsl Thus, in a device for urinalysis one of the reagent masses: may be designed to test for sugar; or glucose; ariotlieifoi albumin, ye't another for acetonev and the like.'

While we have described a multiple test device only in" connection with the type of structuresliown in Figi'ur'e 8L; it will be readily apparent to the skilled worker'in' the" art that any of' the structures hereinH illustrated maysbe.

made up in the formA of multiple testing'device's; v

Modifications may be made in ourinvention without departing from the spirit'of it. Havingthusedesc'rib'ed end ina testing'portion, the remainder ofr'said-body cornprisingla handle by means of'V which said `testing portion may be brought into coritacrwitn'Y a" liquid to b'etested';

Likewise, the

said testingrportion* including a reservoir fora liquid to be testeda reagent body located Within said reservoir and retainedl therein byr a mass of absorbent' materiaL.

said testing portion including a transparentA Wall, with said reagent body located against said transparent wall.

2. In ak testing device of the character described, an elongated ybody element having a handle portion and an operating portion including a transparent Wall, a'

reagent body located against said Wall, and means including a body of absorbent material conning saidreagent body against said transparent wall and serving to conduct a liquid to be tested to said reagent body, whereby a change in the'y appearance of said reagent body produced by said liquid is observable throughv saidtrans-Y parent wall," said operating portion including a reservoirV in communication with said absorbent material, whereby a' predeterminediquantity ofY liquid to be tested" may be maintained in contact with saidl absorbent-material; and

an removable cover member covering said reservoir, said covers member being adapted to be removedV when it is` at transparent bod) havingv an integrally' formed wellfa't oney end thereof displaced'from the plane' of said at "body, areagent body located Withini Said, well and against itsbottom, means includingja, body of absorbent materiallocate'd in said'well and'above said reagent body for conning said reagent body against theV bottom of said welland:serving to conducta liquid to betestedlto'said reagent body, the remainder of said body' comprising a by the liquid observed through the transparent bottom ofv thewell, and a reservoir in communication with said body of absorbent material, whereby a predetermined quantity of a' liquid to be tested may be maintained in contact with saidv absorbent material.

e ReferencesCitedin the Viile of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTSV Y1,535,536 MacDonald Apr.. 2s, 1925 1,826,115V zi'ebafth oats, 1931 2,249,867 snening July 22, 1941- 1561445 Parker sept. 11, 1951 2,601,840 smith' Ju1y 1, 1952 A FOREIGN PATENTS 473,720 France Jan. 22,. 1915 883,659 France Mar. 29, 1943 XTM.. Wm 

1. IN A TESTING DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, AN ELONGATED RELATIVELY FLAT BODY MEMBER TERMINATING AT ONE END IN A TESTING PORTION, THE REMAINDER OF SAID BODY COMPRISING A HANDLE BY MEANS OF WHICH SAID TESTING PORTION MAY BE BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH A LIQUID TO BE TESTED, SAID TESTING PORTION INCLUDING A RESERVOIR FOR A LIQUID TO BE TESWTED, A REAGENT BODY LOCATED WITHIN SAID RESERVOIR AND RETAINED THEREIN BY A MASS OF ABSORBENT MATERIAL, 